Chapter 310 - 246: Lord of Destiny (Part 2)

Yuan Tianhao let out a great laugh, then pushed off the ground.

BOOM!!

His figure shot out instantly. There was no discernible Body Technique to speak of; it was like the turning of the Celestial Dao, the inexorable wheels of history crushing everything in their path.

In an instant, he was before Zhao Xuanqi, throwing a straight punch.

Inside him, the Seven-Star Life Palace began to operate. His seven major organs, transcending his normal viscera, reshaped his body’s circulation. As he erupted with power, the seven Lords of Destiny harmonized, pushing both his Physical Ability and his aura to a terrifying limit.

WHOOSH!!

The wind from his fist howled. Under the force of this single punch, Zhao Xuanqi felt as if space itself was freezing over. The terrifying momentum was like the entire cosmos bearing down on him, impossible to resist.

ROAR!!

The next moment, a great roar seemed to erupt from within Zhao Xuanqi’s body. It was the sound of his Qi and Blood surging, his heart exploding with power, his organs churning, and his various acupoints vibrating violently.

From stillness to motion, it was like a sudden, explosive conflagration.

PFFT!!

Under the violent Force Release and the churning of his Qi and Blood, blood vessels burst inside Zhao Xuanqi’s body, spraying out from his pores to form a dense, crimson mist.

His hands rapidly changed shape. With his Five Dragon Extreme Acupoints open, the transformation of his arms was almost like the True Dragon Hundred Transformations, instantly morphing into the Qilin’s Claw.

The blood mist, Gang Qi, and iridescent light coalesced, and spurred on by his Palm Force, they took the form of a Qilin.

A Fire Qilin!!

This was Zhao Xuanqi’s strongest explosive Technique. In this one burst, he had already unleashed the greatest power in his body.

BOOM!!

Flesh and blood collided, creating a sound like a clap of muffled thunder. The terrifying force was like a cannonball striking the earth. The ground in a ten-meter radius around them instantly caved in, forming a deep pit.

All the Rare Beasts for several miles around went into a panicked stampede.

With a series of heavy skids, Zhao Xuanqi was violently thrown back, unable to stop himself. His organs vibrated violently, and his Qi and Blood raged. Even with the power of his Dragon Blood, he couldn’t dissipate the Vibration in an instant.

His strongest explosive attack had been shattered head-on. In a single Technique, he was already at a disadvantage.

However, on the other side, Yuan Tianhao’s figure had also frozen in place for a moment. Although he hadn’t been forced back by the impact, it was clear he wasn’t as unaffected as he appeared.

The strength of Zhao Xuanqi’s instantaneous burst had, to some extent, still exceeded his expectations.

"To reconstruct the hundreds of acupoints in the body, reshape the meridians of Qi and Blood, and push the body to its highest level... Is this the secret of the Holy Beast Fist’s Harmony? Truly interesting!"

"Let me see just how far you can go."

Yuan Tianhao murmured. The forms of the seven Lords of Destiny inside him trembled, using Qi and Blood to dispel the residual Vibration. Then, his figure blurred as he once again attacked Zhao Xuanqi.

’There’s too great a difference in Physical Ability. I’m no match for him in a direct confrontation.’

Zhao Xuanqi made an instant judgment. The stronger the enemy he faced and the more critical the moment, the faster his mind worked.

But while his mind was calm, his body was excited, even trembling slightly.

An opponent like this was far too rare a find for him.

SWISH!!

The next moment, his opponent was before him again. This time, it wasn’t a single, terrifying burst, but a continuous barrage like a raging tempest.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The sound of surging Qi and Blood, the sound of fists on flesh, the sound of the earth cracking, the sound of thunder in the sky, the sound of howling wind, the sound of popping bones and sinews...

Blood and flesh met. Fist and soul clashed.

In an instant, the two had exchanged nearly twenty rounds, with Yuan Tianhao holding the absolute upper hand.

His fists were as dense as the turning of the stars and as mighty as the sky pressing down. Whether in momentum, power, or skill, he had reached a powerful peak.

Even Zhao Xuanqi’s Fist Technique, forged through a thousand trials and ever-changing, could not gain an advantage on a technical level, limited as it was by his Physical Ability.

Moreover, the seven Deities within his opponent’s Seven-Star Life Palace seemed to possess some kind of perceptive ability, making Yuan Tianhao’s Fist Technique even more unfathomable.

In just twenty short rounds of combat, he had already been pushed to the brink of desperation.

He was bathed in his own blood, his internal organs displaced.

This was the most difficult battle he had fought since his reincarnation into this world.

But even at this point, there wasn’t a trace of fear in his eyes—only a deep sense of regret.

’If only I could have faced an opponent like this at the peak of my power from my past life. What a fortunate thing that would have been.’

But unfortunately, his current strength had not yet truly reached its zenith.

’No! Even if it’s just for a single moment of peak power!!’

A silver light flickered in Zhao Xuanqi’s eyes. A terrifying change seemed to be occurring within his body as the Transformation Secret Skill began to operate wildly. His eyes held both determination and madness.

SWISH!!

However, just as he was about to unleash some Forbidden Secret Technique, the fiercely attacking Yuan Tianhao suddenly halted his Fist Technique. He retracted his aura, tapped his foot, and his figure gracefully retreated, landing several dozen meters away from Zhao Xuanqi.

On his chest, the seven Lords of Destiny closed their eyes. The light of the Seven-Star Life Palace vanished, and he returned to his normal state.

Zhao Xuanqi stood where he was, his expression slightly stunned.

The surging Qi and Blood in his body gradually calmed, and the Secret Technique he had been about to activate was canceled. He, too, returned to his normal state.

Watching from the side, Jiang Wu let out a slight sigh of relief. A moment ago, he had thought Yuan Tianhao was truly going for the kill and had been prepared to intervene. It seemed now that Yuan Tianhao had kept his promise after all.

"Why did you retreat? Didn’t you come here to eliminate me as a threat?" Zhao Xuanqi asked Yuan Tianhao.

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tianhao threw his head back and laughed.

"You still have a long way to go before you can truly threaten me. Besides, if you truly had that ability, I would be overjoyed. The path for people like me has reached its end. The opportunity to become a Divine General is nowhere in sight. Only by facing an equal opponent is there a chance to break through to that long-lost realm."

"Furthermore, it would be far too much of a waste for a man of your caliber to die by my hand. I have the ambition to restore the nation, so how could I lack the magnanimity to accommodate others?"

"I am not your subordinate. You could even call me your enemy. You should want to see the National Salvation Association completely annihilated," Zhao Xuanqi said.

"You’re right. I did indeed lead the campaign to encircle and suppress the National Salvation Association back then. They crossed a certain line. In truth, the current strength of the National Salvation Association is nothing more than a bunch of jumping clowns in my eyes; they no longer pose a threat. Their path is the wrong one."

"Great harmony under heaven is nothing but a dream. In the Divine Land today, the world is exhausted and besieged by foreign enemies. What’s needed isn’t harmony, but the consolidation of all power into one person. Only through absolute methods and supreme martial might can we turn the tide and reverse the course of destiny. Joint councils only lead to various factions shirking responsibility and rendering governance ineffective," Yuan Tianhao said.

"Though I am a Martial Artist, I also know that it is difficult to govern the world through the brute power of a Martial Artist. What’s more, the people’s minds have been opened. The changing of eras is like an inexorable wheel; how can you reverse the great trend?" Zhao Xuanqi said.

"I know how the National Salvation Association evaluates me, but they are not qualified to do so. I, Yuan Tianhao, have fought against the allied armies, trained a new army, reformed the financial system, banned opium, built up industry, established education, unified the currency, and put an end to the Daqian... My accomplishments are plain for all the world to see."

"In my eyes, the National Salvation Association is just a group of idealists, a pack of cowards. To achieve great things in this world, sacrifice is inevitable. If I can break through to the Divine General realm, the Divine Land will surely stand proud in the world once more. The Divine Land will have its rightful place among the Great Powers. When that time comes, why would the common people of this world have to worry about food, clothing, and shelter?"

"What do you say? A talent like you shouldn’t be entangled with the National Salvation Association. Join my army, and I can promise you the position of Vice Military Commander. In the Beidou Army, your status will be second only to mine. If we join forces, we can achieve a feat unprecedented in history!"

Yuan Tianhao said, his gaze burning like a torch as he looked at Zhao Xuanqi.

"And if I don’t agree?" Zhao Xuanqi said calmly.

"I would not force you, of course. However, you must agree to one request," Yuan Tianhao said.

"What is it?"

Zhao Xuanqi asked.

"The territory of the Divine Land, the sacred artifacts of the state, cannot be defiled by outsiders. Neon is currently invading, and I will personally lead the army north. If the day comes when the country is on the verge of collapse and the world is turned upside down, I need you to lend me your aid."

As Yuan Tianhao spoke, a brilliant light burst forth from his eyes.